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At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe is living in peace and prosperity. The “Belle Époque” is an outgrowth of previous important historical events and developments. The networks that are created and which evolve funnel both people and their products, tangible and intangible. It is within this multi-layered world that sound recording and sound reproduction is invented. Early record labels send mobile crews literally all over the world to record local musicians. The range of the repertoire is endless. Cosmopolitanism in large urban centers favors polystylisms and polymorphisms. Colonialism, revolutions, conflicts, refugee flows; the theater, cinema, radio, photography, orchestras’ tours, but also circulations in all kinds of commercial channels in a world that evolves dynamically and anisotropically, form a complex network of “centers” and “peripheries” in alternating roles setting musical idioms in motion, both literally and figuratively. The networks in which the Greek-speaking musics participate, constantly conversing with their co-tenants, are magnificent. Discography has already provided important tools in understanding the relationships that developed between “national” repertoires. The result of this ongoing research is “Cosmopolitanism in Greek Historical Discography”.
Naturally, in the large urban centers of the Ottoman Empire around the Mediterranean Sea, the “conversations” of the Greek-speakers with their Turkish-speaking Muslim “co-tenants”, the Catholic Greek-speakers, the Armenians, the Sepharadi and Ashkenazi Jews, the Levantine Protestants, and the Europeans and the Americans, were more than intense. Very often, the scope of this network extends to the Balkans, to Eastern and even to a part of Central Europe. Especially regarding relations between Orthodox and Muslims, the relevant evidence demonstrates the musical exchanges between them and elucidate an ecumene where everyone contributed to the great musical “melting-pot”, and where everyone may draw from it, as well as redeposit it, in a new form, with a reformulated text and its meaning, with sometimes clear and sometimes blurred references to its pre-text, until someone else pulls it out again, through the “melting-pot”, so that it becomes clear that there is no end in this recreational and dynamic process where fluidity prevails. A case that comes from such repertoires is this recording.
The song refers to the Zeibek Çakırcalı Mehmet Efe (1872, Ödemiş – 1911, Nazilli), known as Tsakitzis (Çakıcı). As stated on the back cover of Yaşar Kemal’s book “The Tsakitzis” (Agra Publications, Athens 1994):
“Tsakitzis (Çakırcalı Mehmet Efe) is the most famous bandit of Anatolia in the early 20th century. His rebellion against Ottoman authority, his vibrant actions against the plutocracy, and his benevolent stance toward the common people elevated him to the status of a legendary folk hero. He was called the ‘Knight of the East,’ and his fame spread both East and West.”
His life and adventures took on mythical proportions and fueled folk mythology, shadow theatre (see here), theatre (see here), literature (see for example here and here), painting (see here), comics (see here), ballet (an adaptation of Yaşar Kemal’s novel The Tsakitzis, see here), and cinema (see Turkish films here, here, here, here and here; and Greek films here and here), both in modern Turkey and Greece. His story also became the subject of lectures (see p. 41 here) and a doctoral dissertation (see here).
Regarding the historical discography, the first recording of the song is traced to 1908, approximately three years before the death of Çakırcalı Mehmet Efe. It was titled “Tchakidji Turkessou” (Odeon XS-1857 – 54500) and was recorded in Constantinople by the Jewish singer Haim Effendi. About two years later, in July 1910, “Tchakidji” was recorded by Shekar Hanim (Constantinople, Favorite 4051-t – 1-56207 and Columbia 56207 – E-6110).
It was also recorded under the title “İzmir'in Kavakları” by Nevzat Güyer (Constantinople, 1946, Columbia CTZ 6970 – RT 17934), and as “Çakıcı Türküsü” by Safiye Ayla (Constantinople, 1951, Columbia CTZ 7105 – BT-22184).
Other recordings titled "Çakıcı" are listed on Cemal Ünlü’s website, although no audio material has been found for them. One example is the recording “Çakıcı/Kanto” by Haim Efendi (Orfeon 10229).
In the Turkish-speaking discography, the song was also recorded in the USA by Achilleas Poulos (“Chakiji Zeibek”, New York, 1926, Columbia W205439-3 – 75009-F and Columbia UK 205439 – 11630), by Ashot Yergat (vocals and oud), J. Kappas (clarinet), T. Kappas (kanun) (“Tsakitzis (Zeibek)”, New York, circa 1940, Panhellenic P 141 B), and by Modern Türk Orkestrasi T. Ağabey (“Çakıcı”, USA, 1940s, Balkan 4013-A).
It was also recorded in Turkish with the title “Tsakitzis (Turkish Song)” by Lefteris Menelenlis and Dimitris Semsis [Salonikios] (violin), Dimitris Arapakis (santur), and Kyriakidis (oud), in Athens, 1927 (Columbia UK 20005 – 8009).
In the Greek-speaking repertoire, the tune appears under the following titles:
– “Pes mou ti tha katalaveis”, Amalia Vaka, New York, February 8, 1928 (Victor CVE 42426-1 – V-58006).
– “I Stellitsa”, Roza Eskenazi – Kostas Nouros, Athens, January 1, 1934 (OT 1508-1 – AO 2092 and Orthophonic S-667-A, RCA Victor 38-3053-A), as a composition by Stavros Pantelidis.
– “Stellitsa kai Nitsa”, Stellakis Perpiniadis – Chrysa Vavdyla, Athens 1934 (Odeon Go 2028 – GA 1744), as a composition by Stavros Pantelidis.
– “Tsakitzis”, Kostas Gkantinis, New York, December 27, 1939 (Orthophonic BS 046133 – S-516-B and RCA Victor 26-8013-B, RCA Victor C9FB-0083 – 26-8328).
– “O Tsakitzis”, Markos Melkon (oud and vocals), Athanasios Zervas (violin) and Orchestra, USA, late 1940s (Liberty 23).
– “Tsakitzis”, Roza Eskenazi, Constantinople, 1950–1951 (Balkan 834-A), this recording.
In modern discography, the folk hero inspired new compositions. On November 24, 1960, Stratos Dionysiou, Kaiti Thymi, and Beatriki Kali recorded in Athens, with music by Babis Bakalis and lyrics by Dimitris Goutis, the song “O Tsakitzis” (His Master's Voice 7XGA 779 - 7PG 2831). The following year, in 1961, Vangelis Perpiniadis recorded in Athens another version of the “Tsakitzis” tune, with his own composition and lyrics by Antonis Vamvakaris (“Aman aman Tsakitzis”, Odeon 7XGO 582 – DSOG 2690).
The song remains active in both the discography and live performances, continually generating new versions and adaptations in both Greece and Turkey (see for example here).
At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe is living in peace and prosperity. The “Belle Époque” is an outgrowth of previous important historical events and developments. The networks that are created and which evolve funnel both people and their products, tangible and intangible. It is within this multi-layered world that sound recording and sound reproduction is invented. Early record labels send mobile crews literally all over the world to record local musicians. The range of the repertoire is endless. Cosmopolitanism in large urban centers favors polystylisms and polymorphisms. Colonialism, revolutions, conflicts, refugee flows; the theater, cinema, radio, photography, orchestras’ tours, but also circulations in all kinds of commercial channels in a world that evolves dynamically and anisotropically, form a complex network of “centers” and “peripheries” in alternating roles setting musical idioms in motion, both literally and figuratively. The networks in which the Greek-speaking musics participate, constantly conversing with their co-tenants, are magnificent. Discography has already provided important tools in understanding the relationships that developed between “national” repertoires. The result of this ongoing research is “Cosmopolitanism in Greek Historical Discography”.
Naturally, in the large urban centers of the Ottoman Empire around the Mediterranean Sea, the “conversations” of the Greek-speakers with their Turkish-speaking Muslim “co-tenants”, the Catholic Greek-speakers, the Armenians, the Sepharadi and Ashkenazi Jews, the Levantine Protestants, and the Europeans and the Americans, were more than intense. Very often, the scope of this network extends to the Balkans, to Eastern and even to a part of Central Europe. Especially regarding relations between Orthodox and Muslims, the relevant evidence demonstrates the musical exchanges between them and elucidate an ecumene where everyone contributed to the great musical “melting-pot”, and where everyone may draw from it, as well as redeposit it, in a new form, with a reformulated text and its meaning, with sometimes clear and sometimes blurred references to its pre-text, until someone else pulls it out again, through the “melting-pot”, so that it becomes clear that there is no end in this recreational and dynamic process where fluidity prevails. A case that comes from such repertoires is this recording.
The song refers to the Zeibek Çakırcalı Mehmet Efe (1872, Ödemiş – 1911, Nazilli), known as Tsakitzis (Çakıcı). As stated on the back cover of Yaşar Kemal’s book “The Tsakitzis” (Agra Publications, Athens 1994):
“Tsakitzis (Çakırcalı Mehmet Efe) is the most famous bandit of Anatolia in the early 20th century. His rebellion against Ottoman authority, his vibrant actions against the plutocracy, and his benevolent stance toward the common people elevated him to the status of a legendary folk hero. He was called the ‘Knight of the East,’ and his fame spread both East and West.”
His life and adventures took on mythical proportions and fueled folk mythology, shadow theatre (see here), theatre (see here), literature (see for example here and here), painting (see here), comics (see here), ballet (an adaptation of Yaşar Kemal’s novel The Tsakitzis, see here), and cinema (see Turkish films here, here, here, here and here; and Greek films here and here), both in modern Turkey and Greece. His story also became the subject of lectures (see p. 41 here) and a doctoral dissertation (see here).
Regarding the historical discography, the first recording of the song is traced to 1908, approximately three years before the death of Çakırcalı Mehmet Efe. It was titled “Tchakidji Turkessou” (Odeon XS-1857 – 54500) and was recorded in Constantinople by the Jewish singer Haim Effendi. About two years later, in July 1910, “Tchakidji” was recorded by Shekar Hanim (Constantinople, Favorite 4051-t – 1-56207 and Columbia 56207 – E-6110).
It was also recorded under the title “İzmir'in Kavakları” by Nevzat Güyer (Constantinople, 1946, Columbia CTZ 6970 – RT 17934), and as “Çakıcı Türküsü” by Safiye Ayla (Constantinople, 1951, Columbia CTZ 7105 – BT-22184).
Other recordings titled "Çakıcı" are listed on Cemal Ünlü’s website, although no audio material has been found for them. One example is the recording “Çakıcı/Kanto” by Haim Efendi (Orfeon 10229).
In the Turkish-speaking discography, the song was also recorded in the USA by Achilleas Poulos (“Chakiji Zeibek”, New York, 1926, Columbia W205439-3 – 75009-F and Columbia UK 205439 – 11630), by Ashot Yergat (vocals and oud), J. Kappas (clarinet), T. Kappas (kanun) (“Tsakitzis (Zeibek)”, New York, circa 1940, Panhellenic P 141 B), and by Modern Türk Orkestrasi T. Ağabey (“Çakıcı”, USA, 1940s, Balkan 4013-A).
It was also recorded in Turkish with the title “Tsakitzis (Turkish Song)” by Lefteris Menelenlis and Dimitris Semsis [Salonikios] (violin), Dimitris Arapakis (santur), and Kyriakidis (oud), in Athens, 1927 (Columbia UK 20005 – 8009).
In the Greek-speaking repertoire, the tune appears under the following titles:
– “Pes mou ti tha katalaveis”, Amalia Vaka, New York, February 8, 1928 (Victor CVE 42426-1 – V-58006).
– “I Stellitsa”, Roza Eskenazi – Kostas Nouros, Athens, January 1, 1934 (OT 1508-1 – AO 2092 and Orthophonic S-667-A, RCA Victor 38-3053-A), as a composition by Stavros Pantelidis.
– “Stellitsa kai Nitsa”, Stellakis Perpiniadis – Chrysa Vavdyla, Athens 1934 (Odeon Go 2028 – GA 1744), as a composition by Stavros Pantelidis.
– “Tsakitzis”, Kostas Gkantinis, New York, December 27, 1939 (Orthophonic BS 046133 – S-516-B and RCA Victor 26-8013-B, RCA Victor C9FB-0083 – 26-8328).
– “O Tsakitzis”, Markos Melkon (oud and vocals), Athanasios Zervas (violin) and Orchestra, USA, late 1940s (Liberty 23).
– “Tsakitzis”, Roza Eskenazi, Constantinople, 1950–1951 (Balkan 834-A), this recording.
In modern discography, the folk hero inspired new compositions. On November 24, 1960, Stratos Dionysiou, Kaiti Thymi, and Beatriki Kali recorded in Athens, with music by Babis Bakalis and lyrics by Dimitris Goutis, the song “O Tsakitzis” (His Master's Voice 7XGA 779 - 7PG 2831). The following year, in 1961, Vangelis Perpiniadis recorded in Athens another version of the “Tsakitzis” tune, with his own composition and lyrics by Antonis Vamvakaris (“Aman aman Tsakitzis”, Odeon 7XGO 582 – DSOG 2690).
The song remains active in both the discography and live performances, continually generating new versions and adaptations in both Greece and Turkey (see for example here).
© 2019 KOUNADIS ARCHIVE
